Putting off on important appointments, like your hearing aid fitting, is all too easy amongst the hustle and bustle of day-to-day events. You might even find yourself hesitating to order hearing aids altogether. However, putting off on treatment for hearing loss is a lot more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
The connection to cognitive decline
Scientists have demonstrated a clear link between untreated hearing loss and mental decline. This underscores the crucial importance of not holding off on treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your mental function as well.
The impact on hearing
Naturally, it’s evident that putting off treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to maintaining your auditory health. You inadvertently cause more damage to your hearing if you put off on getting a hearing exam or hearing aids if you need them.
You may find yourself constantly boosting the volume on your various devices, exacerbating the damage to your ears and speeding up the development of hearing loss. Wearing a hearing aid can help alleviate this by selectively amplifying specific frequencies, thereby slowing down the development of hearing loss.
The connection to mental function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately connected. Research shows that untreated hearing loss can have substantial repercussions on mental function. Over time, cognitive decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety brought on by social separation.
Also, the restoration of normal hearing function can be complicated because untreated hearing loss will force the brain to adjust by reallocating mental resources from other functions, such as visual processes, over to auditory processes.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s remarkable ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this scenario. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, extended neglected hearing loss can result in significant rewiring of the brain, making it challenging to return to previous functionality.
But it is possible to undo this effect. In both the short and the long term, making use of hearing aids can bring significant benefits even if you’ve put off on getting treatment for some time.
Give us a call for an appointment
While timely treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to tackle hearing loss. If you’re ready to enjoy better hearing and stronger mental function, call us today for an assessment!